Booked a holiday? Brilliant. Now, before you do anything else, get your travel insurance sorted.
That’s the advice from personal finance expert Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, who says:
“My travel insurance rule is get it ASAB – as soon as you book.”
It’s simple, but many people still get caught out. You might think travel insurance is just there to protect you once you’re away, but actually, it does a lot more. The moment you book your trip, you’re financially exposed. Things can go wrong before your plane leaves the runway – illness, cancellations, family emergencies – and you’ll only be protected if you’ve already got a policy in place.
So, when should you start your cover? Let’s break it down.
Should you start from your booking date or your travel dates?
That depends on the type of policy you choose: single trip or annual multi-trip.
Single trip policies
Martin makes it crystal clear:
“If you’re getting a single trip policy… as soon as you book, you go on to the travel insurer’s website, you tell it your holiday dates, and you buy the policy then.”
So if your holiday runs from 19 July to 2 August, you enter those dates – even if you buy the policy in January. You don’t need to include your booking date in the trip dates – the policy will still cover you for cancellation or changes before your departure.
What about your return date? Should you add a few extra days just in case your flight is delayed?
“You don’t need to do extra dates because you have a return date… If something delayed you so you weren’t back, that would still be covered, because that delay is all part of the travel insurance.”
In short: just cover the actual dates of your trip, and make sure you buy the policy as soon as you book.
Annual multi-trip policies
With annual multi-trip policies, it’s slightly different. Martin explains:
“If you’re planning to get an annual policy… you need to have the annual policy that covers all your trips away in a year in place from the moment that you book.”
So if you book in January for a trip in August, your cover needs to start in January. If you delay the start until August, you’re not protected for any cancellations or issues that happen before then.
“What ASAB means is different for single trip and for annual policies.”
But in both cases, it’s clear: the minute you’ve booked, you need travel insurance in place to cover the ‘what ifs’.
Your checklist for travel insurance done right
- Book your trip
- Buy your policy the same day
- Set trip dates for single trips only
- Start annual policies immediately (not from your holiday start date)
- Don’t worry about return delays – that’s covered
Final thoughts
Martin Lewis said it best: get your travel insurance as soon as you book. It’s a simple step that protects your holiday long before your bags are packed. Whether you’re jetting off once or planning multiple getaways, having cover in place early means fewer worries and more time to look forward to your trip.
At InsureandGo, we’re here to make that part easy – with straightforward cover, no upper age limit, and support when you need it most. So next time you book a holiday, tick insurance off the list the same day.